Started counting and I've watched 36 games in 2007. It's not over yet - aiming for 40. Not counting viewing tv games here which some bloggers think is following football. Obviously not yourself. Does seeing West Didsbury v. Chapeltown in the Manchester Premier League qualify (admission free, no programme), when you go and see Manchester United v. Blackburn Rovers the next day. They all count, because you sort of remember bits of them all.

As you get older and the seasons take their tole you forget the disappointments quickly and focus on the forthcoming fixture list. England not qualifying for Euro 2008. Well basically not good enough. Then there are four other English speaking teams who could have got there - Scotland, Northern Ireland, Wales, Republic of Ireland. They have an excuse of being a low population nation. Come next summer I'll be supporting Croatia. Play good football, small country, good flag, been there on holiday, nice place.

Meanwhile there is a grim wet, cold winter to live thru in Manchester. United are bobbing along at the top end of the table, into the knockout section of the Champions League - can't complain about the results. My other team FC United of Manchester are up at the top but finding it hard, that is not winning all your home games.

You can see the videos, pictures, and ramblings at Biffafootie.

Keep getting emails about a chance to win some expenses paid trip to Japan. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Impossible odds for a rank outside blogger from Manchester, with no network, no mates, and no readers.

It's a ridiculous trophy anyway. You've got some great teams there like AC Milan, Boca Juniors, Waitakere United from New Zealand, and Pachuca from Mexico. Errr, it gets better. But it's just a trophy for corporate types, FIFA reps on jolly outings, and a few fans starved of soccer. I doubt it will even get TV coverage in the UK, though it does qualify for daytime fill-in slot.

Would I go if I won. Yes, the bags would be packed immediately and I promise to be a Terminal 1 a full two hours before departure.

The point is that global soccer like this is meaningless.
a) Fans really want their local clashes. Wolves v. Baggies, Spurs v. Arsenal, Celtic v. Rangers, Genoa v. Sampdoria...etc, etc.
b) As a Manchester United fan would I really want a regular diet of Moscow, Milan, and Madrid instead of City, Liverpool, Chelsea, Sunderland....no.
c) Football clashes are more than hype it has to have history. It's going take a long time before this competition has a history.
d) It's a bit like the European Super-Cup. Whilst that is an extra game, on a Friday night in Monaco, this is a whole series of kick abouts on the other side of the world.
e) Fans don't want extra games. More isn't more.

I was trying to make a short video of the song "United Road" as sung at Old Trafford. But then I checked on You Tube where I found three earlier versions, so no point in doing a bad repeat. But why not do a short film with the actual road  - a cross between a road movie and a football anthem. There is the remains of the real United Road which goes behind the North Stand. You can no longer drive along it though.

Football songs live on even after the people and places have gone. As when Dynamo Zagreb fans turned up one year when their team had been renamed Croatia Zagreb. They had a good chant of "Dee-na-mo, Dee-na-mo". As the word Croatia is not a Croatian word the club reverted back to Dynamo.

So you still sing "Walking down Warwick Road to see Matt Busby's aces" to the tune of Blaydon Races (c. 1862 George Ridley but based on an existing tune) where you are going to win the "First Division". Sir Matt is still remembered, but the Warwick Road is Sir Matt Busby Way, a bit is still called Warwick Road and that leads to Sir Brian Statham Way (famous Lancashire & England cricketer), and Warwick Road Railway station by the cricket ground is now Old Trafford tram stop. The Blaydon Races were last run by horses in 1916.

The songs live on...
See the regular blog www.biffagigital.org/footie.com for the usual Manchester United, FC United, and references to non-league and Italian football. 

Just over a month into the season and it's looking better. Well after witnessing Manchester United eventually scoring 2 goals, and even better against Chelsea, it does feel brighter already. After what Peter Kenyon was saying in the papers, how Chelsea's success was down to him, even better. Still remembered for his board room days at Old Trafford with a nice little song from the Stretford End - the money grabbing traitor.

Now the mid-week night matches start at home. Coventry City this week - here is hoping the younger players get a chance, AS Roma next week - here is hoping no injuries. At least I'll be there and won't have to suffer tv commentators mentioning the 7-0 win last season. They always mention previous encounters when the reality is, it bares no bearing on the game before your eyes.

My other teams - Genoa FC have not been on English TV yet (Channel 5 Sunday afternoon- Football Italia live), England Women put up a spirited effort in the World Cup (well done BBC for their coverage of this competition), and FC United arn't doing too bad....

You can read about my Mancunian football world for September at Biffafootie

Those joyous happy moments following your team come in between days of frustration, angst and depression. Today was another of those down football days :-

It's my day off work but do a couple of hours in the morning for some lieu time, go to the lotty (allotment) and it looks like some fox or squirrel has been snaffling a couple of sweetcorns and digging...Watch England v. Japan in the Women's World Cup. A gripping match spoilt by a last minute equaliser from a direct free kick in the last minute. Both of Japan's goals come from excellent free kicks they just appear to go straight through the wall like a bullet. The Chinese crowd are all supporting England, you didn't expect them to cheer for Japan did you. Oh well, is this three games and the plane home next week?

FC United are away at Clitheroe. Streaming radio commentary is not working again. Still got technical issues at FCUM.TV. I'll check the Match Updates forum later on. 1-1 and the floodlights fail.

Tonight's football story on the news. Does McClaren play Mr.E.Heskey or Mr.P.Crouch as the striker? Has it come to this - it has.

Just a frustrating day all round.

Biffadigital

The long season stretches ahead and no sooner than you get five games then it's the interruption of the Internationals. So what were the highlights of August, your mileage will differ on this one...

a) retirement of Ole Gunner Solskjaer - there are those few players who come on to the pitch and you know something might happen. A loose ball in the box and a goal might result and not get skied over into the crowd.

b ) watching FC United in the FA Cup Preliminary Round. A great day out in Altrincham in a 5-2 thriller. Enjoyed this so much better than watching Manchester United slug out a 1-0 win over Sunderland the day before. Video

c) watching Euro Hockey in Manchester and on Eurosport. My first ever hockey match, and if I ever get tired of football this is the sport for me. Video

Stats :
Teams seen : Manchester United (3), Sunderland, Spurs, Reading, FC United, Trafford, Flixton, Bootle.
The last four are in lower leagues so you might not have heard of them

TV Live matches : not watched a full game just bits of European matches

Radio Commentary : two, City v. United (XFM 97.7); Portsmouth v. United (BBC 5Live). Still enjoy radio coverage, sometimes that's all you have.

TV Highlights : again just bits Match of the Day (BBC1 & 2), David Beckham's Soccer USA and Football Italiano - both on Channel 5 and a good way to waste an hour.

www.biffadigital.org - footie in august

What's coming up - a couple of dull international games, the start of the FIFA Women's World Cup in China next week with an England team that actually tries to win.

Week three, team (Manchester United) manage to haul themselves half way up the table with a 1-0 over Spurs. Again no striker power in the box. Is this a Premier League winning side? Not at the moment. Fortunately most of the other teams in the league are not title winning sides so should qualify for Europe.

This was the week I discovered hockey, sometimes called field hockey. Played on a plastic pitch which they water with sprinklers and hosepipes, even at half time. Even went to an Euro Hockey Finals match, it was half an hour on the bus, you can drink beer during the game unlike football.

Other clubs FC United beat Bridlington Town 6-0 in the Unibond Division One North - seven leagues below the Premiership.

This week I'm looking forward to the Champions League draw on Thursday; Sunderland at Old Trafford on Saturday big cheer for Roy Keane, FA Cup Prelim Round FC United v. Trafford on Sunday afternoon, plus some European football on ITV (three months without Sky now).

www.biffadigital.org/footie.html 

It always makes me a bit grumpy when your team doesn't win. Three games, two points and one goal. Position 16th - but you're not worried but you wonder who is going to end the goal famine for Manchester United.

Made a trip to see an FA Cup game, one of the earlier rounds, and it doesn't get any earlier than the Extra Preliminary Round. We watched Flixton v. Bootle, the grass roots football that journalists pay lip service to but rarely write about. Enjoyable afternoon in a crowd of 47. Followed by a not so enjoyable afternoon of a 1-0 defeat by City.

This week it's the meaningless Wednesday night friendly of England v. Germany. Don't think I can watch 90 minutes of pointlessness. Much better viewing will be Northern Ireland v. Liechtenstein (1945h BST, on BBC Northern Ireland Sky 973)...it's also on BBC Interactive, so it might be available on Freeview as well.

Still not turned the Sky Sport back on. Who will crack first? Last season they did. Phoned up to offer a full package at a bargain price for three months.

There is also the Inter v. Udinese game in Sunday 26th August (1400h BST on Channel 5). Every week they will be showing a live match - huzzah, maybe get a chance to watch my adopted Italian club Genoa CFC. Catch the first half and then head off to Old Trafford for the Spurs match at 1600h BST.

For recent rants against Channel M (Sky 203) for not showing the weekly FC United highlights, the lack of online radio commentary and a couple of videos - going to Manchester United match in sunshine, and the FA Cup game mentioned above. Visit www.biffadigital.org/footie

New season, new blog. Starts in the summer sunshine, and ends in the spring rains. In between it's hope and expectation for at least four months. For most football fans the season ends in January. Crashed out of all the cups, bobbing along mid-table unable to collect a row of wins for any meaningful contention.

Da, da, da, da...The seasons roll on but they change year on year. Not just new players and higher ticket prices. So for myself this season will bring...

a) entry of Setanta Sports TV ( more subscriptions at a tenner a month but I reckon value for money - for the amount of games available)

b) 50th Anniversary of Munich 5th February 1958 - i expect nothing less than a special friendly match by Manchester United.

c) Going to see FC United of Manchester in Unibond Div 1 North - opposition teams I've never seen before - bring on Harrogate Railway and Bridlington Town

d) Events at City - who would have predicted Eriksson, a flurry of signings based on video evidence from agents, a dubious politician from Thailand who likes a bit of limelight.

e) No smoking at all grounds - does this apply to an open end of a non-league team?

f) Removal of football clips on YouTube if they break copyright. A lot have gone already. So if you like one, save it.

g) FC United in the FA Cup and FA Trophy for the first time.

h) A pathetic attempt to get more readers to www.biffadigital.org/footie.html